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Patented Dec. 6, 1892.

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G. A. BRONDER. STEAM STEERING GEAR. No. 487,401. Patented Dec. 6, 1892.

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ihvrTnn STATES PATENT Urrrcn.

GASTON A. BRONDER, OF NEWV YORK, N. Y.

STEAM STEERING GEAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 487,401, dated December 6, 1892.

Application filed February 12, 1892. Serial No. 421,253. (No model.)

To all 2071,0117, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GASTON A. BRONDER, of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Steam Steering-Gear, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in steam steering-gear in which a multiplecylinder engine is reversed and set in motion to turn the rudder in opposite directions by means of a lever or wheel under the hand control of the pilot.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, in Which Figure 1 is a view of the apparatus in side elevation. Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal section through the valve and valve-box and showing the operative parts in connection therewith. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are transverse sections through the valve upon the planes of the lines a: 00, y y, and z a, respectively. Fig.

6 is a plan view, in detail, of the Worm-wheel and worm, forming the connection between the valve-stem and valve-operating rod. Fig. 7 is a View in vertical section of the mechanism under the immediate control of the handlever for operating the valve and indicating the position of the rudder. Fig. 8 is a top plan View of the same, the top of the casing and indicator being removed; and Fig. 9 is a top plan view of the casing in which the hand-operated gear is housed, showing the indicator-hand and dial-plate.

The multiple cylinder engine is represented at A, the engine-shaft is denoted by a, the valve-box is denoted by B, and the rotary and longitudinally-sliding valve by b. The engine and its valve are constructed and operate in substantially the same manner as the corresponding parts shown and described in Letters Patent No. 452,964, granted to me on May 26, 1891, and a detailed description thereof is herein omitted, except so far as may be necessary to show their adaptation to and connection with the wheel for operating the chains or ropes leading to the rudder and the hand-controlled gear for starting and reversing the engine to operate the rudder.

When the engine is started, the shaft a is rotated in one direction or the other, accord.

ing to the direction in which the hand-wheel is turned, and its rotary movement is communicated to the shaft a, having a clutch connection a with the shaft a and provided with a worm a in gear with the Worm-Wheel 0, fixed to rotate with the drum 0, to which the chains or ropes leading to the rudder are connected, as is common. The clutch connection a between the ends of the shafts a and a admits of slight variations in. the position of the shaft a, due to wear of the gear or to any other cause, without disturbing the position of the shaft a, and at the same time locks the shaft a to the shaft A, so as to cause it to positively rotate therewith.

The valve-stem 1), instead of being swiveled to the end of the valve, as in the structure shown and described in the patent hereinabove referred to, is connected with said valve so as to be caused to rotate together with the valve. The connection which I prefer to make is accomplished by providing the core of the valve with a recess in which a squared portion 11 on the enlarged head 19 at the end of the stem is allowed su'fficient play to admit of slight variations in the endwise thrust of the valvestem, due to the engagement of the worm-gear thereon with the Worm-wheel or to any other cause, without disturbing the position of the valve itself. The valve-stem b is journaled in suitable hearings in the head of the valve-box and in the uprising lug d of the bed-frame D and has secured thereon a worm If, which performs the double function of a rack and a worm, which will be hereinafter more particularly described.

The end of the valve-stem b opposite the valve is connected by a link 6 with a vibrating arm E on a pintle secured, as at e, to

the bed-frame D. The counterbalance-weight F is secured to the vibrating arm E, preferably by means of branches f, which straddle the pivotal point e of the arm and connect with the arm E above and below the said pivotal point, the purpose of said counterbalance being to overcome the pressure of any steam which may accumulate between the end of the valve and the valve-box, and thereby tend to prevent the endwise sliding movement of the valve. The upper end of the Vibrating arm E is connected by a rod G with a lever g, which turns the valve 9 for the admission of steam to the valve-box. From this it follows that if the valve-stem b be moved longitudinally in its bearings it will, through its connection c with the vibrating arm and the connecting-arm G, open the valve in the steam-supply pipe for setting the engine in motion. Such endwise movement of the valve-stem b will also at the same time slide the valve 1) into position to admit steam into the one or the other of the several cylinders to operate the shaft a in the direction desired. Such endwise movement of the valve-stemb, and hence of the valve 19, is effected by a wormwheel 71, secured on the upright shaft H and in gear with the worm b. The shaft H may extend upwardly through the deck and within a hollow standard I, stationed within the pilot-house or wherever it is desired the pilot should stand to control the vessel. The upper end of the shaft H is provided with bevel-gear h, fixed to rotate therewith and adapted to intermesh with a corresponding bevel-gear k, fixed to rotate with the horizontal shaft K, to one end of which the steerin wheel L is seen red.

The indicator-hand for showing the amount which the shaft H is rotated, and hence the longitudinal movement of the valve and the consequent movement of the rudder, is represented by M and is secured to a short vertical spindle m, journaled in a removable top 2' of the casing I and adapted to swing overa scale m on the said cap. Thelower end of the spindle m is seated in a supporting-frame N, one branch 42 of which extends along parallel with and a short distance above the shaft K, and another branch n of which has its ends bolted to the upper portion of the casing l, as shown at 01*. The shaft K is provided with a screw-thread throughout a portion of its length, located within the top of the casing I, and has seated thereon a traveling nut le the latter being provided with upwardly-extending ears 70, adapted to embrace the opposite sides of the portion n of the supporting-frame as it is carried along by the turning of the shaft K. The said nut 70 is also provided with a lug 70 extending laterally therefrom and connected with a crank m on the spindle m by a link m so that as the nut travels along the shaft K by the turning of said shaft it will,through its connection with the crank m cause the spindle m to rotate and the hand M thereon to pass over the graduated scale m in one direction or the other, depending upon the direction in which the shaft K is turned.

For the purpose of limiting the travel of the nut 70 and at the same time prevent it from becoming wedged against the stops which limit its movement I provide the following mechanism: A pair of collars O is seated on the shaft K upon opposite sides of the traveling nut k and are spaced from each other to admit of the traveling of the nut. Each of the collars O is provided with an abutment 0 on its edge toward the traveling nut and each of the abutments faces in a direction opposite that in which the screw is turned to cause the travel of the nut toward that abutment. The screw-threaded portion of the shaft K is provided with a longitudinally-extending groove 70 in which is located a traveling feather or key P, having outward ly-extending endsp to embrace the edges of the traveling nut 10 As the shaft K is turned the traveling feather or key P will rotate with it and be carried by the traveling nut k toward one or the other of the abutments 0, according to the direction in which the shaft K is turned, until one of the ends 19 comes in contact with one of the abutments o, and thereby prevents the further rotation of the shaft. The edge of the feather P, which lies adjacent to theinterior of the nut, is preferably provided with screw-threads corresponding to those on the shaft K. The collars O are spaced the desired distance apart and held in position against rotation with the shaft K by means of screws Q, which screw down through the portion n of the supporting-frame, so as to have their inner ends extend into perforations q, formed in the collars O. The perforations g, formed in said collars, may be arranged in one or more circular series, as shown, so as to admit of holding the collars O in the desired rotary and longitudinal adjustment upon the shaft K, and thereby admit of regulating the turning of the shaft K with great precision.

The operation of the apparatus as a whole is as follows: The direction in which the rudder is to be turned being decided upon, the steering-wheel L is turned in the direction to cause the engine to operate the rudder in the desired direction. The turning of the steering-wheel L will, through the connection with the shaft K with the upright shaft H and the connection of the latter with the valve-stem I), slide the valve b longitudinally within its box and admit the steam to the proper cylinder. As soon as the engine begins to 0perate to turn the rudder the rotation of its shaft a will at the same time rotate the valve b, and with it the stem 5 and the worm thereon, which by its engagement with the wormwheel h on the shaft H will cause the valve b, to travel in an opposite direction from that in which it was slid by the rotation of the shaft H, and hence will return the valve 1) to its normal position, and thereby out off the steam, leaving the rubber in the position which it was desired it should assume. The opposite turning of the steering-wheel will produce an opposite effect upon the rudder.

What I claim is 1. The combination, with the engine and its connection with the rudder operating wheel, of a rotary and longitudinally-sliding valve having a valve -stem fixed to rotate therewith and provided with a worm, a wormwheel having an engagement with the worm on the valve-stem for sliding it, and hence the valve, longitudinally, and means for operating the worm-wheel, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the valve for ad 'mitting steam to the engine, having a longitudinally-sliding movement within its boX and the valve-stem fixed to slide and rotate With the valve, of the steam-supply pipe leading to the valve-box, a valve for admitting the steam within the valve-box, a vibrating arm connected with the said valve in the steam-supply pipe, a connection between said vibrating arm and the valve-stem, and a counterbalance secured to said vibrating arm and exerting its strain in the direction to draw the said valve-stem and valve toward the outer end of the valve-box, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the shaft for operating the valve and the steering-Wheel shaft geared thereto and provided with a screwthreaded portion, of the traveling nut engaged with said screw-threaded portion, an indexhand connected with the traveling nut,and collars seated on the steering-wheel shaft and provided with abutments arranged transversely to the rotary movement of the shaft for limiting the movement of the traveling nut, substantially as set forth.

4. Th e combination, with the steering-Wheel shaft provided with a screw-threaded portion and having a longitudinal groove along the face of the said screw-threaded portion, of a traveling nut engaged with the screw-threaded portion, an index-hand connected with the nut, collars seated on the steering-wheel shaft and provided with abutments on their adjacent edges, and a feather or key adapted to seat Within the groove in the shaft and travel longitudinally with the nut and in a rotary direction with the shaft, said feather or key being provided with ends adapted to engage the abutment on the said collars, substan- GASTON A. BRONDER.

Witnesses FREDK. HAYNES, GEORGE BARRY. 

